May 30, 2017 AT 8:00 am

Reference: The Ultimate Wood Joint Visual Reference Guide

Dating all the way back to Neolithic times, the mortise and tenon is the oldest wood joint known to mankind…

In the thousands of years since, craftspeople have developed an almost absurd variety of joints, some of which you learned in the ID shop at school, some of which you’ve never heard of, and that one that you can always see in your head but have forgotten the name of. To help you remember for the next time you’re building something out of wood, or to give you some alternatives for any current designs you’re working on, here are some visual guides: